Best alternative to 35mm Pentax 645 A using Mirex on A7rii?

[NoBob]

Can anyone recommend a better lens (distortion, CA and *usable* image circle) than the 35mm Pentax 645 A for use with a Mirex adapter and A7rii?

Thanks.

[Schafphoto]

+1
From what I have heard anecdotally the Contax 35mm lenses (FX shift and 645) are very good. And there is a Hartblei superrotator 35mm available on Ebay. I too am very interested in responses to this query. I would love to get a 30-35mm lens for shift work on my A7R2. It is the gap between 24mm and 50mm that I use the most in 4x5 and need to replicate in full frame. I had heard that the Pentax 35mm was pretty good, are you dissatisfied?

-Schaf

[Schafphoto]

Can anyone tell me about the aperture control on the 35mm Contax 645 Distagon 3.5.
It appears that the aperture is electronic. I see that there is an aperture ring on the lens but does this stop down the lens or is there a stop-down lever like on the 40mm Hasselblad T* Distagon? I'd like to use on a dumb shift adapter.

Thanks

-Schaf

[MGrayson]

No stop down lever on mine. Aperture ring, yes, but only electronic contacts on the mount. When I use it on the Leica S, I set the aperture ring wide open and then set the real aperture on the camera and it works.

Matt

[Schafphoto]

No stop down lever on mine. Aperture ring, yes, but only electronic contacts on the mount. When I use it on the Leica S, I set the aperture ring wide open and then set the real aperture on the camera and it works.

Matt

Yes I'm not sure having a Contax 645 body around to change the aperture is going to be realistic. I need to find out how to stop down to f8 or f11 on a dumb adapter.

[rdeloe]

I haven't found anything better at 35mm than the SMC Pentax-A 645 f/3.5 lens. I used it on a Sony A7R with dual Mirex adapters. I'm currently using it on a Fuji GFX 50R with a custom mount for my Toyo VX23D. Some people like the FA version. I tested one copy side-by-side against my A version, and found that while the centre was a touch sharper, the edges were a touch softer. So for the lighter weight, smaller filter size and lower cost I chose the A version.

There's also an upgraded DA version that is supposedly improved a bit optically and in coatings. Unlike many other DA lenses it retains the aperture ring, so you can definitely use it on a Mirex adapter. I have not tried this one.

[scho]

I haven't found anything better at 35mm than the SMC Pentax-A 645 f/3.5 lens. I used it on a Sony A7R with dual Mirex adapters. I'm currently using it on a Fuji GFX 50R with a custom mount for my Toyo VX23D. Some people like the FA version. I tested one copy side-by-side against my A version, and found that while the centre was a touch sharper, the edges were a touch softer. So for the lighter weight, smaller filter size and lower cost I chose the A version.

There's also an upgraded DA version that is supposedly improved a bit optically and in coatings. Unlike many other DA lenses it retains the aperture ring, so you can definitely use it on a Mirex adapter. I have not tried this one.

I'm also using the Pentax A-35/3.5 with my Fuji GFX 50R and the Cambo Actus G. Very nice setup for landscapes. Used to have the DFA version as well, but sold it with my 645Z. I could never see much difference in image quality between the two lenses.

[Audii-Dudii]

Yes I'm not sure having a Contax 645 body around to change the aperture is going to be realistic. I need to find out how to stop down to f8 or f11 on a dumb adapter.

I realize I'm way late to this thread, but for the benefit of others looking for solutions to address this issue, I thought I'd respond regardless.

Instead of carrying around a C645 body, I use a Fringer adapter with a Contax 645 NAM-1 adapter mounted on a tiny Sony A5100 I bought used for $125 solely for this purpose ... works great! And without the Fringer adapter, it also works with my Contax N lenses, too!

To make it easier to change apertures (as well as minimize the amount of handling of the lenses required to do so, because I'm afraid of -- gulp! -- accidentally dropping them), I mounted a small tab on my FrankenKamera and mounted the A5100 / Fringer combo on that:



I'm not sure whether other Sony to C645 smart adapters will also work with the NAM-1 -- I know the original Kipon smart adapter I had would not -- but it might be worth investigating, because the Fringer adapter is quite a bit more expensive than the other options.